Iran launches missile barrage at Israel following Trump’s threat of 'Stone Age' military action

JERUSALEM, April 2 — Israel reported Iranian missile strikes today following President Donald Trump’s threat to bomb the nation into the "Stone Ages" within weeks. During a White House address, Trump claimed the military campaign started on February 28 is nearing its end, though he vowed intensified strikes on Iran’s infrastructure if objectives aren't met soon.

The speech coincided with a 35-nation summit aimed at reopening the blocked Strait of Hormuz. Following the deaths of top leaders like Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in initial strikes, Trump suggested Iran’s new leadership might be more "reasonable," though he remains ready to target the country’s power plants if diplomacy fails.

Defying Washington, the Israeli military detected four missile barrages from Iran within six hours. Tehran dismissed U.S. ceasefire terms as "irrational," with officials confirming that while intermediaries like Pakistan are relaying messages, no direct talks exist. In Tehran, defiant citizens held funerals for fallen commanders, vowing to resist indefinitely.

Trump promised to protect Israel and Gulf allies—including Saudi Arabia and the UAE—from retaliatory fire. As Israel prepared for Passover, sirens frequently blared in Tel Aviv, while the UAE confirmed its air defenses were actively intercepting incoming drone and missile threats across the region.

Maritime tensions rose as the Revolutionary Guards claimed a strike on an Israeli-linked tanker near Qatar. Simultaneously, Hezbollah launched rockets into northern Israel from Lebanon following an Israeli strike in Beirut that killed a senior commander. Authorities report over 1,300 deaths in Lebanon since the conflict erupted in March.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the U.S. of war crimes, questioning if the conflict truly served "America First" interests. While Trump claimed Pezeshkian sought a ceasefire, he insisted the Strait of Hormuz must be reopened first, calling on oil-importing nations to show "courage" by securing the waterway.

Global energy markets reacted sharply to the continued blockade, with Brent crude surging past US$105 per barrel. Despite a British-led diplomatic summit to restore freedom of navigation, the Revolutionary Guards maintained their vow to keep the strategic passage closed to all perceived "enemies" of Iran.

The Iranian public remains conflicted, with some expressing a sense of betrayal by Trump after his previous promises of support for political change. As the war enters its second month, many have abandoned hopes for a total regime shift, wishing instead for minor increases in personal freedoms. — AFP